4th Month, 852.M30, the lower decks of the Forge-Hammer. Arsena Dunn, clad in immaculate white armor, entered the Fane.
The moment Arsena stepped into the Fane, Nareth was aware of his arrival.
He turned his head and saw Arsena's armor covered in runes.
The black runes on his chest and abdomen matched those on the Grimnyr.
The runes on his arms were Aeldari Fire Dragon runes. The runes on his legs came from other xenos, like the Fra'al.
Nareth watched Arsena approach. He asked: "Are you satisfied with the armor the Forge Lord crafted for you?"
"My Lord, I am most satisfied."
"This armor combines the Rangdan personal energy shield, the Squats' shield-weave technology, and bonded alloy. Without hindering movement, it provides protection comparable to power armor."
"This is because I don't have special requirements like Marlena."
He hovered his left hand above the black energy stone on his waist. "Through experiments, activating the Warp circuits increases my psychic spell power by twelve percent."
"Activating the Aeldari Fire Dragon runes on my arms further enhances fire-based spells by fifteen percent."
Nareth nodded. The "White Tower" Pathway didn't have special requirements before advancing to Sequence 6 "Polymath."
After becoming a "Polymath," based on the abilities learned and analyzed, special needs would arise.
Currently, Arsena's special requirements stemmed from psychic aspects, especially the Fire Dragon runes.
Nareth could see the Fire Dragon runes inscribed on Arsena's arms were vivid, crimson hues concealing potent power. Clearly, the psychic materials and craftsmanship were top-tier.
Although the Legion had many psychic artisans, only two possessed this level of skill.
Santiago came from the Borgkamp family, generations of psychic artisans. But he had just succeeded as Lord of the Fifth Chapter, busy repairing the Kalium Gate. He wouldn't be here.
That left the technology-oriented psyker, Miguel , the family that forged psychic blades.
"Miguel inscribed them for you?"
"Your discernment is correct, my Lord. Indeed, him."
"Research on the Ymga Monolith has made some new progress. Miguel was ordered to come report."
"Later, I will see him personally." Nareth looked at the Arsena holding a data slate. "Has the Imperium reached an agreement with the Squat League?"
"After prolonged negotiations, Imperium representatives and the Squat League have reached an agreement." Arsena's eyes shone. He said with a full smile.
"The Squat League is willing to join the Imperium and provide the Imperium with a portion of its manufactured weaponry and equipment output. Notably, the Imperial Administration representative set the minimum output quota at a mere one and a half percent."
"Although the Squat League's one and a half percent output rivals that of most Imperial industrial worlds, in our subsequent agreement, the minimum share is four percent."
Nareth nodded slightly. The Squat League's strength had indeed secured them quite favorable terms.
Arsena continued his report: "The Squat League has assembled an Iron-Sworn contingent. The number of Kin reaches twenty thousand."
"Having just experienced a major war, the Squats' recovery speed is remarkably fast."
"Besides ships requiring time to build, their numbers have likely recovered by at least half."
Nareth was not surprised at all.
"Deceased Squats return to the Votann. Their memories become data, forging future Kin."
"Their bodies become materials fed into the forges, shaped into new Kin by clone-woven technology."
"All Squats know they are born from the forges. They fully accept this process, viewing return to the Votann as an honor."
Nareth remarked with feeling: "For any Kin of the Forge, the greatest punishment is exile, losing the qualification to return to the Votann."
"So that's why. No wonder the Squat League is so confident, displaying a tough stance towards Imperium representatives." Arsena exclaimed.
"Mars, during negotiations, although not obtaining Standard Template Constructs, gained the qualification for observation and learning."
"The Squat League permits them to visit certain factories. How much they gain depends on the Tech-Priests' abilities."
The terms reached by the Imperium and Mars aligned roughly with what he remembered.
'In the normal course of the war, the Imperium gained nominal submission and a small output share. Mars would acquire some technology.'
'The Iron Warriors obtained stable plasma gun manufacturing technology. The Thousand Sons received several Warp-energy gathering runes from me and gained knowledge of Squat history.'
'The true victor is me. Most of the Squats' conventional technology, I obtained from the Votann. Owning over twenty systems, the Squat League's four percent output rivals most forge worlds. Trading priority and preferential terms. A star. An Iron-Sworn contingent of at least fifty thousand.'
As Nareth reflected, the Arsena reminded him:
"My Lord, the Legion is about to depart. You previously designated the Ramilies-class starfort as the future trading location with the Squat League. Should we arrange for Shadows of Order to garrison it?"
After a moment's thought, Nareth instructed: "Order the First Chapter to select a Lieutenant and a squad to remain."
A short while later, Miguel entered the Fane. He approached the Primarch.
"Father, research on the second chamber has achieved preliminary results. We deciphered part of its contents regarding methods to create anti-psychic fields."
"Beneath the chamber's control area, we discovered a large matrix. Activating it would generate a field covering a vast area."
"We couldn't determine if activation would trigger uncontrollable consequences, so we didn't act recklessly."
"Do not activate the control runes." Nareth knew activating the anti-psychic field within the Ymga Monolith wouldn't cause consequences like the Pariah Nexus.
After the Great Rift opened, the Scybalax Warp Storm's interstellar travel wasn't affected.
The anti-psychic field was prepared for the replication ships. Once activated, it might trigger a chain reaction, prematurely activating the Necron artifact.
As Nareth pondered, Miguel continued his report.
"Creating an anti-psychic field requires a substance called blackstone."
"Within the Ymga Monolith, a portion of stored blackstone exists. Our first replication product has been transported to the Shadow's Sovereignty."
"As the technology is still immature, the device is as large as a tank. Activation requires at least one Terran hour. Its effective radius is only one kilometer centered on it."
Although the anti-psychic field generated by the Ymga Monolith couldn't dispel Warp storms, the energy field created by its technology could isolate the Warp within a certain range, proving highly effective against psykers and daemons.
"I understand." The "Baron of Corruption" gazed at Miguel. "You have mastered the power I bestowed upon you?"
"Father, I believe so. After committing numerous Necron runes to memory, I always feel a dissolving sensation within."
"I think I am now a true 'Savant.'"
Miguel, promoted to Sequence 8 "Archaeologist," departed three days later, returning to the Ymga Monolith to continue archaeology on the tens of millions of years old Necron artifact.
The Shadows of Order fleet set sail, departing from the Squat League.
Among the black warships, fourteen deep grey, thick-hulled ships stood out conspicuously.
The smallest among them matched Imperial cruisers in length, with even thicker hulls.
Twenty thousand elite Kin, fifty thousand Ironkin, one hundred and thirty thousand miners, and artisans departed the Galactic Core for the first time.
....
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